Super Bowl halftime review: Black Eyed Peas, plus pre-game music
The Black Eyed Peas, the first contemporary pop act to headline the Super Bowl halftime since Janet Jackson was over-exposed by Justin Timberlake in 2004, proved to be an oddly appropriate choice for the National Football League's big international party Sunday in Dallas.
The Peas didn't exactly perform so much as cheerlead, their "Boom Boom Pow" just a centimeter or two removed from "sis-boom-bah." With lyrics like Madison Avenue slogans plastered over relentless beats, the quartet's big, proudly superficial music advertised and celebrated itself. It's not meant to be scrutinized, but blasted over big speakers at Cowboys Stadium or in saloons worldwide hosting Super Bowl parties.
It's nearly impossible to do anything nuanced or thoughtful on such a stage in 12 minutes. So the Peas went for the gusto and the spectacle, wearing neon spacesuits and surrounded by flourescent dancers. "Jump off that sofa!" chief Pea will.i.am commanded.
The vocal quartet's' fast-paced set included snippets of such readymade party anthems as "I've Got a Feeling," "Boom Boom Pow," the surf-guitar-stoked "Pump It," and "Let's Get it Started," plus wild cards Slash and Usher. With the Peas' Fergie doing her best Axl Rose impression, right down to a snaky hip dance, the guitarist with the curls, shades and stove pipe hat played his signature "Sweet Child O' Mine" riff. Fergie's voice sounded a little rough, but it did suggest that the band was at least attempting to perform their vocals live, not always the case in past Super Bowl halftimes. Usher, in pristine white, delivered some smooth dance moves on "O.M.G."
There also was plenty of music in the ramp-up to the game:
The National Anthem, as pole-axed by Xtina: At least Christina Aguilera looked dignified in a black outfit, in contrast to the dressed-down pole-dancer look she favors in concert and video. But after that things went downhill quickly. She bungled some words, leaving out the line, "O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming," and instead repeating a line from earlier in the song. She stretched the approximately minute-long song to twice its length by making sure to punctuate just about every phrase with an inappropriate growl or melisma. On the first line, she transformed the word "night" into about seven syllables. On the final "brave," she lingered on for more than 10 seconds before being drowned out, barely, by jet fighters zooming the stadium. As usual, Xtina managed to make even this most revered of songs sound like it was all about her.
Comparatively, the restraint of "Glee" actress Lea Michele on "America the Beautiful" played like a small triumph. There was one panicky moment in the middle of the performance where it threatened to break out into one of those "Glee"-style extravaganzas, complete with overly energetic dancers leaping into one another's arms while Jane Lynch smirks in the wings. But thankfully, dignity prevailed.
As a sidenote, when will the Super Bowl wake up and hire someone like Jim Cornelison, the Chicago Blackhawks secret weapon, to deliver the goose-bumps on these songs? Instead we cringe in embarrassment at overblown celebrities trying to remember their lines.
A few notes from tailgate central, the series of nationally televised pre-game concerts outside Cowboys Stadium:
Maroon 5: Adam Levine’s voice is high and feminine, yet his tattooed left arm looks like it belongs to a guitarist in Slayer -- the things you notice when you’re bored with a song that sounds like a tiki-lounge parody. The quintet soldiers through a version of “Misery,” its sunny Caribbean vibe at odds with Levine’s determination to “get you back.” Later Levine promises, “Never Gonna Leave This Bed” with cool efficiency. The band delivers hooks, but sounds starved of passion, point of view, personality. Is this what happens to bands once they’ve been chasing clean, sterile, instant-singalong radio hits long enough?
Keith Urban: Mr. Nicole Kidman is a New Zealand native who grew up in Australia, has the rugged, stubble-chinned profile of a Hollywood star, and sings like he was born outside Nashville next to a whiskey distillery. His third-hand honky-tonk defines the new root-less country sound. It’s a little bit of twang and a barely audible banjo or mandolin thrown in for a touch of Southern credibility, but mostly it’s about crunchy guitars and the Bon Jovi credo of “don’t bore us, get to the chorus.” So his “You Gonna Fly” sounds like a dozen mild Poco or Eagles country-rockers you might’ve heard on the radio in the ‘70s. Choosing to perform the song “Who Wouldn’t Want to Be Me” was a slghtly bolder touch. It's about a penniless drifter, and its lines about "I got no money in my pockets/I got a hole in my jeans/I had a job and I lost it/But it won't get to me," probably went right over the heads of most folks at the game, who surely weren't hurting for cash. Urban whooped it up -- "We're at the Super Bowl, baby!" -- as if to claim a football game is a panacea for our national economic crisis. When you're surrounded by something as gaudy and over-the-top as Super Bowl weekend, I suppose it's easy to lose perspective, and Urban doesn't strike me as the type of artist who wants to rain on anyone's good time or TV ratings, especially his own.
greg@gregkot.com
the game should be a great game to watch,cant wait for the halh time show,they also said something about a tribute to ronald regan
Posted by: steven landsman | February 06, 2011 at 04:36 PM
This show will be awesome. Christina was great!!! Superbowl!!!!
God Bless USA!!!!
We have the best sports in the world!!!
http://www.amway.com/thomaswoodfin
http://www.thechildsoldiers.com
Posted by: Thomas Woodfin | February 06, 2011 at 05:27 PM
The half time show stunk!
Posted by: Dan J | February 06, 2011 at 07:19 PM
i have no idea except for fergie being hot , why they would every have the black eyed peAS FOR A HALFTIME SHOW, COULD NOT EVEN DO THEIR OWN MUSIC I THOUGHT IT WAS THE WORST.....
Posted by: JEFF | February 06, 2011 at 07:28 PM
Christina was awful, Blackeyed Peas were boring. The National Anthem shouldn't be a showcase for someone's vocal prowess. The bimbo couldn't even remember the words, she got so lost in her vamping. Pitiful.
Posted by: B | February 06, 2011 at 07:29 PM
Did anyone catch the change in lyrics by the Black Eyed Peas? It was during 'Where is the Love'. "Obama...start educating....creating jobs....this is for all the ______." This is where I can only catch part of the words. Hoping someone can help.
Thanks!
Posted by: R. Shull | February 06, 2011 at 07:45 PM
I was first turned off by the transvestite. The the girl sang the National Anthem like some one was driving a nail into her foot. Where's kate Smith? When Kenye West came on, that jerk who nationally insulted our President and who bullied sweet young Taylor Swift that's when I turned off the Super Bowl. It gets more degenerated avery year. I love the ad with the bears shaking the car for the last french fry. Super Bowl in no longer like American apple pie. It's gross. I hate to think what happened after I turn it off. Can't we get hometown American anymore. West is a misfit.
Posted by: Dennis | February 06, 2011 at 07:51 PM
do you mean no tested the sound before the show?
Posted by: joan | February 06, 2011 at 07:52 PM
I am not a football fan, but do watch parts. Love the commercials, but I do have to say this is the worst half time in super bowl history ever!!!!!!!
Posted by: Linda Smith | February 06, 2011 at 07:52 PM
"Bungled some words"?!?! She left out the "O'er the ramparts we watched" line altogether! And then she had the nerve to say "thank you," at the end, as if it was all about her to begin with! Serious fumble. Major fail.
Posted by: S. Jo | February 06, 2011 at 07:59 PM
I can't believe how bad it sounded. I don't think that I can ever listen to the Peas again. What a dissapointment
Posted by: Steve | February 06, 2011 at 08:05 PM
What a mess. Black eyed peas are just that. What happened to all amerian entertainment?
Posted by: Peter Rucko looklinjupa2aol.com, | February 06, 2011 at 08:06 PM
I loved the half time show! And just because you people haven't grown up with the time, you need to realize that Black Eyed Peas and KANYE West are AMERICAN! You don't have to like them, but respect the fact that a significant amount of America does, and therefore they were a great pick...
I too was trying to figure out the new lyrics for Where's the Love. I think it was "Obama, its time to educate the little one, instead of dropping bombs lets create jobs, this is for the young minds..."
Posted by: Jess | February 06, 2011 at 08:10 PM
The girl from Glee was no better than a high school choir student.
Xtina looked and sounded like a blow up sex doll.
Halftime was like a first try rehearsal. Sound, light and poor song selections.
Posted by: Joe Mcmillian | February 06, 2011 at 08:13 PM
Techo music sucks! Anyone can have their voice enhanced in the studio and why they sound so bad live...because they have no talent. Bring back Bruce, the Stones even Freddie Mercury from the dead and you would have some talent!!
Posted by: Truebluefemdem | February 06, 2011 at 08:16 PM
The Half time show was simply pure crap!
Posted by: Toddster | February 06, 2011 at 08:21 PM
In the past I felt a couple times like I was at a concert and forgot about the super bowl . Tonight I could not wait for the second half to start and I'm not a fan of either team. The sound was horrible
Posted by: bryce | February 06, 2011 at 08:26 PM
The talent was none and spectacle was some. The vocals were awful and the sound engineer failed in the mix with the magic vocal button that can make anything sound good, it must have been disconnected because the effect that all acts use now are used to hide the no ability. Hang up the peas and go for some navy beans that might not make you smell like a flour but you at least recognize that you stink and sound crappy.
Posted by: Manny Gaspar | February 06, 2011 at 08:41 PM
I turnoff the half time show after one song, it sucked and had to be the worst half time show in history
Posted by: bob | February 06, 2011 at 08:44 PM
I thought they did a great job. "Siss boom ba" was sorely lacking: they didn't have cheerleaders this year! BEP always makes me want to move and this performance delivered.
Posted by: Amber Dawn | February 06, 2011 at 08:45 PM
What's even better is that the Black Eyed Flees (peas are healthy, fleas annoying) said the n-- word (just before "The Time"). After all the fuss over Mark Twain they broadcast it over television on the most watched program of the day. This is the end of Music as we know it.
Posted by: Aaron Joy | February 06, 2011 at 08:46 PM
Terrible half time show. Among the worst I've ever seen.
Posted by: Bill | February 06, 2011 at 09:08 PM
At least this sewage back up diverted the world from thoughts of war for a time
Posted by: Manny Gaspar | February 06, 2011 at 09:08 PM
To all who say that the half time show was pure doo-doo I will have to take your word for it because I missed the whole damn thing.
Lucky me.
My favorite two commercials were the Optima Commercial and the Budweiser commercial where the bad western dude sings the Elton john song.
Glad to see the pack won.
Posted by: terry | February 06, 2011 at 09:36 PM
I am disappointed in all performances of the Super Bowl. The half time was talking harrdly a note sung - the lite up extras were sad - China would laugh if they see this compared to their talented opening of the Olympics
Christina should of practiced relentlessly -- this was a big audience to let down. Not very professional at all.
This was really sad - not America's finest to say the least.
Posted by: Lis | February 06, 2011 at 09:40 PM